The division the Detroit Lions were in changed identities throughout the 30 years between winning divisional titles, which stretched from 1993 to 2023.
When the Houston Texans joined the NFL as an expansion team in 2002 and the league switched to its current eight-division structure, the former NFC Central became the NFC North.
Regardless of the moniker, the Lions were a poor team, finishing more than 100 games below.500 in between division titles.
In the meantime, the Green Bay Packers dominated at that time.
The Packers won the NFC Central/North 15 times between 1994 and 2022 (the 29 seasons Detroit never won the division), which is more than all of the other teams in the division combined.
It helped that Green Bay had a franchise quarterback each of those seasons. Up to the previous season, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, one of whom is in the Hall of Fame and the other on his way, led the team.
One of the most interesting young quarterbacks in the game, Jordan Love, is now leading the Packers. He is one of the most important players in the league, not just at his position, as evidenced by the fact that he has already won a playoff game and agreed to a four-year, $220 million contract deal with a $155 million guaranteed.
Will the Packers and Love start a new phase of divisional supremacy soon? on the short and long run, the Lions could represent the largest barrier on their path.
In a matchup between six-win teams, Detroit and Green Bay will face off on Sunday. The winner will take the top spot in the division.
Despite Love’s injury to his knee in the season opener, Green Bay has dominated this year, winning twice in Weeks 2 and 3 with backup quarterback Malik Willis. In the second half of the Packers’ 30-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8, Willis also spelled Love when Love had to exit due to a groin injury.
Nevertheless, Love has performed this season despite the ailments. With 15 touchdowns, he is tied for third place in the league. He also leads the league in throw yards per game (257.8).
Love has gone 11-5 since starting 2-6 in his first eight career starts, starting with a 7-3 run to end the previous season and secure the Packers’ postseason berth. Love passed for 268 yards and three touchdowns in a 29–22 victory at Detroit, which was one of the seven victories.
Love is undoubtedly on the rise, and in each of his seasons as a full-time starter, he has recorded some impressive victories.
However, the Lions are already competitive. They are 6-1 this season and advanced to the NFC championship game the previous year. In Week 7, Detroit defeated the Minnesota Vikings on the road, delivering them their first loss of the season. Jared Goff has already shown himself as an MVP candidate.
As Green Bay stumbles into another franchise signal-caller, Detroit, a squad that went through the lowest of lows from 1993 to 2023, is unlucky to be a quality team once more. However, Sunday presents the Lions with yet another chance to demonstrate their superiority over their divisional opponents.
The impending battle is therefore more than just a single game. In addition to moving the Lions up two games in the loss column, a victory would demonstrate that Detroit was more than just a one-year miracle and that the Lions might once again be the NFC North powerhouse the Packers once were.
The chances were in favor of Green Bay winning this division, whatever it has been called for the past 30 years.
In addition to having a quarterback of that caliber, the Packers appear to be the type of club that may repeat that level of domination. The Lions have an opportunity to make an impression on Sunday if this is indeed the beginning of a new era in Detroit football.
